Dive the HMNZS Canterbury
from $269
The former Navy frigate Canterbury F421 rests in Deep Water Cove near Cape Brett. Upright and intact, she makes for an impressive sight in a great dive location! The top of the wreck is at 14m and her decks lie between 22m and 28m, where divers can swim through the bridge to the helicopter hangar.
The upper deck, bridge and first floor levels are within recreational diving range. The lower levels are for more advanced divers, with the seabed at 32m at the bow and 36m at the stern. Resident schools of fish live in the bridge and around the funnel.
Sunk in 2007 inside the Maunganui Bay rāhui, she is now covered in encrusting sponges and jewel anemones, with bigeyes living inside, schools of sweep above, snapper and kingfish around her and, in winter, hundreds of crayfish. We are an official dive operator for the Canterbury.
Read the full guide to the HMNZS Canterbury wreck: depths, history, marine life and when to dive her.
How our wrecks compare with the rest of New Zealand’s wreck dives
Who can dive it
You don’t need to be an Advanced diver, and you don’t need to bring a group — we take bookings from individuals.
Open Water divers — you’ll dive the wreck with one of our instructors as a Deep Adventure Dive, which counts towards your SSI Advanced Open Water course. You’ll need to have dived within the last year. If you can show experience of dives to 30 metres, you won’t need the Deep Adventure Dive and can dive with the group at the standard rate.
Advanced divers and above — you’ll dive with the group. You’ll need to have dived within the last 18 months.
Out of the water for longer than that? Our Refresher day will get you current again first.
The Canterbury needs three divers on board for the trip to run. Book as an individual and we’ll let you know if a day looks short.
Diving the Bay of Islands since 1978. Rated 4.9 on TripAdvisor (565 reviews) and 5.0 on Google (390).
Your Dive Day
We start the dive day at 7:45am at our dive shop on Williams rd. We organize equipment and paper work, then load the boat on Paihia wharf for a 8:30am departure. If you are staying in Russell we are happy to pick you up from the wharf in Russell at 8:45am. Just phone the shop to arrange equipment.
On the way out to the dive site we cruise through the islands and often see Dolphins, Penguins, Seals and marine bird life. It takes approximately 30 minutes on Sentinel to get to Deep Water Cove, on the way out we can also organize gear and brief for the wreck dive. First up is normally the wreck dive, we then cruise to a reef area for some lunch/snorkelling and if we have any reef divers on board they do their first dive.
After lunch we then head to one of the many great reef dive sites in the Bay of Islands. This is normally a 18m or less dive exploring caves, arches, and swim throughs. Deep Water Cove is a marine reserve, so the marine life in this area is incredible.
Once all the diving is done we cruise back though the islands to Paihia, arriving at the wharf around 3:30pm. Arrival at Paihia can vary depending on how busy the boat is and if customers require to be back for a bus. If you are catching a bus in the afternoon, please let us know!
Common questions
What is the visibility like?
It changes through the year. Autumn is usually the best of it — 15 to 30 metres and sometimes more. Winter sits around 15 metres and is reliable. Summer swings the most, anywhere from 8 metres to over 20. Spring is the least dependable, averaging 8 to 12 metres and occasionally dropping to 5.
How cold is it, and what wetsuit will I need?
Sea temperature runs from about 16°C in late winter up to about 22°C in February. Below 18°C we put you in a 7mm one-piece with a hooded vest, boots and gloves. Above 18°C it is the same 7mm suit, with the hood and gloves optional. In high summer at around 22°C a 5mm is plenty. Wetsuit hire is $20 on our charters, hood included.
What time does the boat leave and when am I back?
Check in at the dive shop on Williams Road at 7:45am to sort gear and paperwork, then we load at Paihia wharf and leave at 8:30am. It is about 30 minutes on Sentinel out to Deep Water Cove. We are usually back alongside around 3:30pm. If you have an afternoon bus to catch, tell us.
Is there a toilet on board?
Yes. Sentinel has a toilet on board.
What happens if the weather turns?
We usually make the call the day before, off the lunchtime forecast. If a bigger system is on its way we generally know a few days out, and occasionally it changes overnight and we have to call it in the morning. If we cancel for weather, you get a full refund. Leave the decision to us rather than calling it off yourself — a day that looks rough on a forecast app is often fine on the water.
Do I need my own gear?
No. A full scuba set is $100 on our charters. Individually: tanks and weights $40, regulator $20, BC $20, wetsuit $20 with the hood included. Mask, snorkel, fins and boots are no charge on our trips.
Is lunch provided?
There is a lunch stop at a reef between dives. Bring your own, or order a packed lunch from us for $17 — meat or vegetarian, just let us know when you book.
Can my partner come along if they do not dive?
Yes. A snorkeller or passenger place is $240 including all gear, or $190 for a child aged 6 to 14. They get the same day on the water, the same islands on the way out, and the lunch stop while the divers are down.
Diving Packages
Experience Scuba Diving in the Bay Of Islands.
important information
Before diving with Paihia Dive please have a look at our Understanding The Risks form, as this will need to be completed before joining any of our trips. If you are doing any dive training including Intro Dives or refreshers, please have a look at our Medical Form, if required you may need to get your doctor to sign you off as fit to dive, before completing the activity.